Finding "Fake News" and Misinformation Post
- cvarghese22
- Jul 19, 2024
- 1 min read
Finding "Fake News" and misinformation: Research "fake news," "misinformation," or "disinformation" and share what you find about people who are creating or trying to stop bad information from circulating. What rhetorical strategies are they using to fool people?
Using the keywords mentioned in the prompt, such as “fake news,” “misinformation," or "disinformation" and researching them reveals a web of sources and individuals. The rhetorical strategies of pathos through emotional appeals, catchy headlines, and misleading eye-catchers and/or visuals by those spreading/contributing to the misinformation captures attention and evokes intriguing reactions. The goal to exploit bias and fear contributes to the strong reactions and crafts the information in a more urgent and compelling light. According to a cognitive research journal sourced by SpringerOpen, “heightened emotionality at the outset of the study was predictive of greater belief in fake (but not real) news posts.” In opposition to the crafters spreading this misinformation, many organizations and individuals aim to stop the spread of misinformation through the strategies of fact-checking, sourcing transparently, and taking more educational initiatives. Therefore, the research with these keywords highlight the strategies of emotional manipulation as opposed to logical clarity.
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